Federal Grant Award Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, Region 8 (Southern Region), awarded $500,000 to the South Carolina Forestry Commission under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Temporary Bridge Program (CFDA 10.721) on April 15, 2026. The grant supports the establishment of a temporary bridge rental program administered by the South Carolina Timber Producers Association. Under this program, portable skidder bridges and bridge mats will be acquired, maintained, and made available to loggers and timber contractors on a rental basis to facilitate safe crossing of streams, wetlands, and buried energy pipelines during forest management and timber harvesting operations.

The rental program will deliver temporary crossing infrastructure to timber producers, enabling more efficient and environmentally responsible timber production while minimizing stream bed disturbance and protecting critical infrastructure. By providing safe, cost-effective crossing solutions, the program will enhance logger safety, prevent environmental damage, reduce operational delays, and eliminate tracking of mud onto public highways. The grant period extends through April 14, 2031, allowing for the acquisition, deployment, and sustained operation of this temporary water crossing rental infrastructure throughout South Carolina's forestlands.